**USE THIS PAPER WITH YOUR ROW TO FILL IN YOUR TIMELINE**
England’s Transition from
Absolute Monarchs to
Parliamentary Monarchy
24 March 1603 - Elizabeth I dies and James VI of Scotland accedes to the English throne
Elizabeth I died childless and unmarried, (her reign began in 1558) so she was succeeded by her cousin, James
VI of Scotland. James's accession meant that the three separate kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland
were now united, for the first time, under a single monarch.
August 1604 - James I ends the war with Spain and Parliament issues
One of James I's first acts of foreign policy was to end the long war with Spain, which had continued
intermittently for 20 years. The end of the war greatly eased the English government's near bankrupt financial
state. England and Spain were at peace for the next 50 years. James I has issues with parliament. They could
not come to agreements about money/taxes, so he angrily dismissed their meetings.
5 November 1605 - Gunpowder Plot to assassinate James I is discovered
In 1604, a group of English Catholics, angered by James I's failure to relax the laws against their co-religionists,
hatched a plot to blow up the king and parliament by igniting gunpowder barrels concealed in a vault beneath
the building. The plot was discovered before it could be carried out. The conspirators, including Guy Fawkes
after whom the plot is often known, were either killed resisting arrest, or captured and then executed by being
hanged, drawn and quartered.
27 March 1625 - James I dies and Charles I accedes to the throne
James I died in his bed in Hertfordshire, at the age of 57. He was succeeded by his only surviving son, Charles,
then 24-years-old, who was proclaimed as king just a few hours later.
8 May 1628 – Petition of Rights
The Petition of Rights placed limits on the king’s power. This was supposed to give Parliament more power, but
Charles I didn’t follow it.
10 March 1629 - Charles I dissolves parliament and begins 11 years of personal rule
Already against parliament, Charles I was outraged when, on 2 March 1629, members of parliament first held
the Speaker of the House down in his chair and then passed three resolutions against the king's financial
policies. The king wanted tax money to fight wars, and when he didn’t get the money, Charles dissolved the
assembly and embarked on a period of government without parliaments, known as the 'Personal Rule'.
Later, a “Long Parliament” meeting occurs with Charles agreeing to not dissolve it, but they couldn’t agree on
money issues, which results in Civil War!
1642-1651 – British Civil War
The two sides were Royalists (Cavaliers) who were in favor of Charles I and Parliamentarians (Roundheads) who
were against Charles I. Oliver Cromwell was a military general and member of Parliament. The New Model
Army was an army formed by Parliament for the Civil War (against Charles I). Cromwell was very Puritan; he
closed pubs, theaters, and sports. (Basically no fun stuff!)
30 January 1649 - Charles I is executed at Whitehall, London
In the wake of the Second Civil War, Oliver Cromwell and the other senior commanders of the New Model Army
decided that England could never be settled in peace while Charles I remained alive. Accordingly, the king was
charged with high treason, tried, found guilty and beheaded. Charles faced his trial and death with remarkable
dignity. His last word on the scaffold was: 'Remember'. The execution of a king was greeted across Europe with
shock.
1 January 1651 - Charles II is crowned king of Scotland
Desperate to recover his father's throne, Charles I's eldest son struck a bargain with the Scots whereby he
agreed to take the Covenant himself in return for the promise of Scottish military assistance. Early in 1651,
Charles was crowned Charles II of Scotland at Scone Castle. In May of 1660, Charles is crowned king of the
entire region, and he restores the monarchy. This was called the “Restoration” because a monarch was
restored to the throne. He also reopens the pubs, theaters, and sport areas, so he is seen as a “Merry
Monarch.”
6 February 1685 - Charles II dies and James II accedes to the throne
Having suffered a stroke, Charles II converted to Catholicism on his death-bed and passed away a few hours
later. He was succeeded by his brother, James, whose adherence to the Catholic faith made many of his
staunchly Protestant subjects deeply suspicious. Nevertheless, James enjoyed considerable popularity when he
first acceded to the throne as James II.
13 February 1689 - William and Mary are formally proclaimed king and queen
Eventually James II lost favor and went into exile because he did not call Parliament meetings and fought with
them over money. In the wake of James II's flight to exile, many felt that William and his wife Mary (James II's
daughter) should be monarchs, even though the former king was still alive. The formal declaration of William
and Mary as king and queen took place a week later. This became known as the 'Glorious Revolution'. This is
because there was no bloodshed and they were willing to work with the Parliament. (They were Protestant.)
16 December 1689 - 'Bill of Rights' is confirmed by an act of parliament
William and Mary had accepted a Declaration of Rights on 13 February 1689 as an implicit condition of being
offered the throne. In December, it was confirmed by an act of parliament, becoming the 'Bill of Rights'. It is a
statement of rights of the subject as represented by parliament (They must limit a king/queen’s power and
share it with the parliament). It remains a basic document of English constitutional law and the template for
other constitutions around the world. This creates their constitutional monarchy they have today! (The rule of
William and Mary ended in 1702)
EXIT QUESTIONS:
1. WHAT CREATED SO MANY ISSUES BETWEEN THE KING/QUEEN AND THE PARLIAMENT?
2. HOW DID THIS LEAD TO A CONSTITUTION?